The JAPAN You Never Knew Existed 🇯🇵
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
- 🇯🇵 We are all a bit fascinated by Japan aren't we. So distant and yet so modern and futuristic. I'm no different and have always wondered what the country was like however what really intrigued me was what it had to offer beyond the huge metropolis of Tokyo. Was the whole country wealthy and modern and full of robot restaurants and Harijuku fashionistas? Or were the provinces something else? A place that suffers from the same economic and social problems that much of the rest of the world does? Well to find out I set off across Japan with my mate @BackpackerBen to see for ourselves, choosing a random town called Itaigowa from the map. What we found was not the Japan we knew existed.
Join us because I think we're turning Japanese, I really think so...
Thanks to Chris from @AbroadinJapan for all his advice behind the scenes. If you don't know his channel yet then definitely check it out for mad Japanese content that is ten times better than anything I could make.
Also check out @GabrielTravelerVideos who has lots of Japanese videos from his recent trip
Also I misspoke about Megumi Yokota. Her school wasn’t there but further up the coast
Thanks once again to @backpackerben for driving us around Japan. Wouldn’t have been possible to travel to the places we went without him. Check out his channel for some Love Hotel fun
Alrighty then.
You were giving the ice cream a BJ.
legend
Asuh dude
Hit up pewds while your there, he lives in the gundam statue now.
Hi from Japan. I love the scene that you bought the most NOTORIOUS alcohol drink in Japan: "STRONG ZERO" without any hesitation. The sedatives barely legal, for the weary Japanese people, forced to work for incredibly cheap wages. I hope you enjoyed this country.
p.s. According to Wikipedia, the hospital ["Himekawa Hospital" : 姫川病院] you visited in the video was closed due to financial difficulties, not because of tsunami for sure ;) To add to this, most local cities have been devastated by the super-aging population. Local cities have no youth workers to pay taxes. Hell holes like Itoigawa can be seen everywhere in Japan ---except Tokyo.
I remember buying Strong Zero, not realising it was alcohol 😮😂
Japan is a beautiful place, I had the most amazing time there. I hope Japan opens more to outside workers, because unless people make more use of the love hotels the worker shortage will only get worse.
Strong Zero also known as the Gaijin Killer lol
Famously western people down cans of them not knowing each one has 3 to 4 beers worth of alcohol in them
😂😂
Wow. Japanese sure are incels
STRONG ZERO is incredible!
I wish they still had the umeboshi flavor. But yes, the financial troubles of Japan are there for sure. At least you don't have the massive wealth inequality of many Western countries.
I swear this guy helped keep me sane through the lockdowns. This is such a valuable show.
❤❤❤😂😂😂❤❤❤
Covid is over punk
Covid is over punk
@nathanrobinson9075
💯
I feel this dude.
What a nice change from Eastern Europe and the Middle East! Thanks Bald for taking us to Japan
He said - "Japanese babushka" - His Heart's in the Russia. Врагу не сдается нашъ гордый „Варягъ“
Where was he in the middle eaat besides Syria
@@user-pd6ci6fk1i Technically Afghanistan but that's more of Asia
Agreed!
@@user-pd6ci6fk1i I consider Kazakhstan etc. as middle east as those countries are clearly not part of europe.
I watched this right after the vid from Bangladesh. The contrast between the endless noise and street hustle there, with the quiet orderliness in Japan is just ....wow!
@@adambane1719me theee
I visited Japan a few years back and in a small town somewhere near Nagoya I posted several postcards back to England. I had given them to the staff to put stamps on. We wondered off on foot to a friends house we were staying at when after about 10 minutes a car came speeding up to us and out jumped the post master. I had forgotten to put an address on one of the cards! Can’t imagine this ever happening in the UK.
The Japanese ate from another World.👍💯
@@guilleport I knew about that from stories and videos but when I went there a couple of months ago I actually experienced it and it's just unbelievable. I can't comprehend where do they get so much energy and motivation to keep on doing this... I wouldn't go as far for myself as they go for others.
@@Premislao89 sadly because of that, mental health is a big problem there, and suicide rates reflect that.
@@allinaday3526 I doubt that's the reason, lol.
@@liamr6672 I'd imagine it doesn't help though.
Honestly, I love when you visit less touristy places like this. It lets us see a much more personal side of the country that not many get to experience.
Ja tak samo szanuję, zajebisty odcinek 🍷👍
That’s why I love his channel! Like how would any random American see the little towns of Belarus or Japan without him showing us?? It’s so cool :)
Bald visiting Afghanistan must have beeen the least touristy place yet 😆
That’s basically his whole channel
@@CH-tj2ru Except that that "random American" could also go out there and visit those little towns himself...
Japan is like a place for tired and jaded travelers. When you visit, everything is just so nice. Everything is clean, safe, on-time and works properly, and every day you head out to explore everyone is going to be nice, helpful and considerate. I loved it!
Think you’re overrating Japan, it has Europe syndrome, first world country, super advanced but slowly regressing. A mix of old and new. Sure they have some AI and a culture of cleanliness which is great, but when I compare Japan to a nation like Norway, Switzerland, Germany or the Netherlands I think in every aspect the European ones are cleaner, more advanced, more equal and just better overall. I’m sure Japanese people are blown away by certain aspects of countries like these when they come too.
Obviously you have never had to deal with Japanese tourists. Butting in line, throwing trash down wherever. Europe, Alaska, wherever, it's always the same.
@@rcs3030 think you’re mistaking them with Chinese fella. Lmao.
@@joshando6035 in terms of equality and diversity I agree with you, but in terms of cleanliness and courtesy in my experience Japan is better
@@joshando6035 yes but $25 US for burger king in zurich airport is a whole different world , sure west europe still has some cool things but I can assure you places like Albania in the east certainly do not ..
Loving the fact that Bald is dramatically yelling 'Goodbye forever!' at everyone he meets
That explains why they’re all laughing
What's the appropriate way to say Goodbye?
@@Adam_Alarabi in an informal situation you could say 'Ja ne' which means 'see ya' or 'baibai' which means... you guessed it, bye bye! 👋
Especially when he borrows the umbrella for one hour and then immediately says goodbye forever. She liked the joke.
Knowing this information changes everything 😂😂
He ALWAYS shows up at the most unexpected place after every while. But he never fails to provide a damn good adventure wherever that may be
Perfect for a lazy Sunday morning.
Real and true.
Fr bruh, l hope japan can handle this guy's sass
and he has the most unique icecream eating technique...😵😵🤔🤔🤣🤣
true. I thought he would still travel around europe and now he's here.
He's exploring Japan the way that I'd want to. Completely lost but still having a great time
This is it, when he first talked about feeling it was low quality content, nah man this is what you'd want to do just turning up to some place and having a wander. We've all seen Tokyo a million times over.
@@NeonGenesis808 That's how travelling in general is done best. Head somewhere and see where it takes you.
@@KrasszTV That's been my personal experience too, I look forward to more.
I’m extremely racist
@@idrinkbreastmilk2883 Dangerously based
Flipping heck!! I can’t believe Benjamin is in Japan.
In his vids, I only saw him visiting places nothing like my homeland.
And now seeing him somewhere very close to my hometown, it’s incredible.
Greetings from Cambodia. 👋🏽
Englishman here.
The phrase is *flippin' heck* Toshiya, but it's easy to see how you might think he's saying 'egg'!
@@jasperdemann5936 It could be an intentional pun, considering bald has an egg-shaped head.
@@jamesmccomb9525
😄
True enough!
Such a shame lol😂 my poor English skill
Thank you very much. It's nice to see people still being nice.
Can we all appreciate how clean the streets are even though things look derelict and forgotten.
No, they are not. I live here. In Japan. And I could easily show you some of the filthiest, neglected, and putrid alleys, and entire streets and roads, that would leave you gobsmacked. Particularly if you harbour any illusions about the place.
@@Albert-Arthur-Wison225 yes every country is going to have it's squalor, but generally speaking he's right. I was in Tokyo for a month in May and didnt come across a single "putrid alley" or entire streets and roads that were trashed lol not sure what part of Japan you live in
they're clean because nobody lives there
His Russian friend would not approve.
@@missingno88Probably stayed in the city center and tourist trap regions
How does he manage to be so respectful and disrespectful to a foreign culture at the same time xD
Hes never respectful; he just acts nice, like a typical westerner.
@@Maverick.D. Lmao, good joke. Westerners are so polite and respectful compared to arabs, africans and such for example.
@@Maverick.D. Truth! He's ignorant and arrogant. He views the world only through a western lens.
@@Maverick.D. Yes because Asian/Blacks/Arabic people are so respectful right? Pffft.
@@GratDuForloradeArgumentet Stop bringing us Muslims to this conversation.
Just wanted you to know. I took your advice this summer and spent more time adventurizing around my area. Generally found myself happier in day to day life. Doesn’t matter how far you go, as long as you learn or go somewhere new!! Enjoy life people!
Where/when did he give that advice?
@@hnng9205 he’s advised his viewers to do that on a number of occasions
Adventurizing, that word makes me smile every time.
What type of places did you go on your adventures?
I'd do this but thinking about where I live it'll probs be a bit shit tbh 😂
@@CD-ng7ur what's your location?
I am so happy that this channel keeps going. I was afraid when the video 'the journey is over' came out that it was actually the end of the channel.
Yeah, I had heard that he planned to quit after he finished USSR countries. Maybe he changed his mind.
@@moccalou he plans on releasing a few more videos then retiring and publishing a book, he usually posts on his ig about updates like these
Are you dumb? You can't read? Just pay attention to what he wrote
@@gook5219 haha holy shit you need some positivity in your life my friend
I was fortunate enough to live in Japan for four years (1979-1983), just outside of Tokyo. I enjoyed it very much. I took the opportunity to climb Mt. Fuji, also. I don't know if this has changed, but when I was there one could buy sake and beer from vending machines on the side of the street. A couple of times when I got lost a perfect stranger would walk with me quite a way to get me back on the path I needed to travel. Generally, very nice folks. Would love to go back.
Don't know about beer but I know you can buy cigarettes from vending machines but you have to use a Japanese driver's license or some other kind of Japanese ID for it to work
Yes you can still buy beer and sake from vending machines!
Mate, Japan is a content treasure trove. Lived in Japan for over 5 years and never got bored. The moment you think you have seen everything --Japan has got you covered. Hidden gems everywhere. Best years of my life. Thanks for the vid, enjoy your stay!
So many content creators move to japan just for content lmao
You don’t seem to know what this channel is about. The content mentioned is the interaction with random people he meets in places off the beaten path. Probably not what you were thinking of.
I think the real issue is that he doesn't speak Japanese. Bald's content focuses on impromptu interviews, adventures and other interactions with local people. Doesn't really work if they have to speak pidgin English to each other.
@@Oliver_Saer yeah, it’s a shame that the Soviet travels are out of the question now.
So glad we're getting more adventures with this absolute mad lad!
Took the words right out of my mouth.
Lmomo
So happy to see Bald in my homeland! I'm very impressed you went to sea of Japan side (Itoigawa city, Niigata.) The sea of Japan side has some depressing small towns. You should definitely be visiting Yubari city in Hokkaido as well. The city, once a coal mining hub of Japan went bankrupt some years ago and is mostly abandoned.
Bro i think it’s nigahata not niigata
@@HAMID-un8zo google learns you the local knows best
@@HAMID-un8zoDude it's Niigata, Nigahata doesn't exist LOL
If it is literally having depopulation I can come to your homeland for breeding purposes.
Hmmmm... Was it just a coincidence that Quentin Tarantino called that psycho teenage assassin in "Kill Bill" Gogo Yubari?
Honestly I don't mind if it's not exciting content. I just enjoy living vicariously through you and seeing all of these places and how other people live every day. that in itself is exciting
The grandmother running to Ben because he forgot his change made my day! I don’t know why but it was pure
After charging him £20 for a tactical air commander hat 😂
@@blaise777 and what?
They will not steal or touch anything that isn’t theirs
Ethan - that is Japan at it's purest.
@@caz9940 so there’s no thieves then 🤦🏼
Lived in Japan for 3 years in the countryside and I remember hearing the dialup tone when I walked into city hall for the first time. The desks and equipment at work were as old as I am, dating almost 30 years ago. I preferred this side of Japan than the polished stuff people usually see. Thanks for showing this off.
It really is charming when you get accustomed to it. When he called Itoigawa a shithole, I wanted to tell him, hey, give it a chance. It's just some random little seaside town. I'm sure England has many towns exactly like it. And the people were nothing but kind to him.
@@dogchaser520 a place can be charming and still a shithole though, and yeah England does certainly have towns like that, and im sure most people would also call those places shitholes
Oh god, can you stop with this old timey horseshit?
@@dogchaser520 yeah it wasnt that nice but honestly he calls England and ex ussr shitholes too lol
@@dogchaser520 I think it’s referring to damp places, abandoned buildings etc
For those who are curious as to what happened to the abandoned hospital, I searched on wikipedia and the hospital named Himekawa Hospital was actually shut down due to financial difficulties that the hospital was facing. The business went bust and it forced the hospital to be closed down.
Wait, what the hell? What business are you talking about, when there are lovely Japanese people who might have an urgent need to be cured and treated in that exact region and they don't want to care about someone's business issues? Are you serious?
@@portospolgo welcome to real life. Yeah, its sad, but at the end of the day, no one cares about peoples health, just money...
@@portospolgo Japan is a capitalist country, what do you expect
@@rajdeepvijayaraj4243 Japan has one of most equitable health systems out there, just look it up on Wikipedia.
Biwldings 🤣🤣
One of the best channels you could watch without being bored from the start of your click to the wonderful finish. Great content. Jacolyn
That's the most respectable, classy run-down town I've ever seen.
And no graffiti, ok a little bit in abandoned hospital but in Europe it would be everywhere. Probably really safe too
Bald keeps saying there is no content but he is the content himself, its honestly enjoyable just watching him walk around places and showing the world off even if its just going to a Japanese 711
And his Accent😊
“There’s an umbrella, let’s check it out” you know it’s a slow day😂. Indeed he is the content, man is hilarious.
See I grew up at 7-Elevens when I was a teen so it was very comical for me and I wish the 7 11s were like that when I was growing up but they did have the XXX magazines
Please never stop making videos. Your videos are the only 20min+ vids I can sit through on youtube. Always amazing no matter where you visit
Japan is something else. Even the bad cities are still impeccably clean and devoid of crazy drugged up homeless people. The abandoned hospital has been ransacked and had some graffiti, but not had anything stolen from it, all the equipment and even the uniforms are still left. I get the sense that it might be the safest country in the world to wander aimlessly. Only in Japan.
Coz theres no black people
It is, next to norway/sweden
@@chrisgartenn i aint the one writing the stats lil bro
@@thesunris there weren't your mom and her ill-bred trash there either
@@g76agiI'll agree with you on Norway, but Sweden, they've really gone downhill in recent years. The amount of gang activity is so bad now that they're second only to Albania in Europe for gun crime. It's sad what's happening there.
It's a lovely clash between your direct and open way of approaching people, and the Japanese politeness and respectful reserve. love it! :D
I don't :-(
Lovely my ass, they're just introverted to an autistic level; Rainman's Brazilian in comparison.
@@tonybrown9875 It's so disgusting making a comparison like this especially when its not even true and you're generalising two massive groups of people who are not all introverted
A homegenic country without forced multiculturalism!
@@diddlysquat88 And it's dying out because of it.
Japan has the oldest society in the world - almost 30% of the population is 65 or older. Due to their strict immigration policies, the number of young people who are entering the workforce and having children is woefully low. Japan has eased up their policies in the last few years, but without more immigration the country will be in real trouble.
23:45 she's laughing because 'Sayonara' is a very formal and rather final way of saying goodbye that japanese people really don't use much. It's probably a very dramatic way to say cheerio so amusing.
I caught that too I found it funny. Sayonara is really only said on your deathbed because it’s very formal and very final. Mata ne is way better :)
Yeah it was funny, he's like a stereotypical clueless foreigner (not in an offensive way).
Sayonara is like saying "farewell"
Uhhh.. Wiktionary says it's a "informal, often humorous" form of saying farewell
@@official_alphabet_inc Yeah, because it's so serious that it's not really used in real life anymore, unless it's sarcastic
Like you could say "farewell" to your friend and it would just sound humorous, because it sounds so serious
@@Cypekeh So "farewell" and "sayonara" is so formal that it's not formal?
What i love about this channel is the sheer amount of raw content.
what i love about your comment is nothing
The look on Ben's face as you "ate" your ice cream was priceless. Ben's nervous drinking wine with you in the Love Hotel because he is remembering your ice cream "experience." 😆 I would be too!
I thought that was hilarious too
@@roulsalzer5407 I busted out laughing when I saw the look on Ben's face 🤣 when Bald was "eating" that ice cream cone. I had no idea of course that the "Love Hotel" would come into play, pardon my pun, later in the video! Yikes!
His expertise is undeniable.🤣
What an awesome surprise!
Japan has a lot to discover, and I’m all for Bald’s take on it! Would love to see more of you in the country.
Yeah, I just discovered that Europeans are taller than the 7/11 shelves and that if you're above 1.80m in Japan you look like a NBA star.
@@ia3078 if you're 7'11 you probably won't be able to enter a 7/11 in Japan
The first night my wife and I spent in Japan, we tried to leave a tip at the yakitori shop. As we were walking away the proprietor came running after us to give us the tip back. I believe it's a point of pride that they pay their staff a living wage so tips aren't necessary. Old ladies running after you to give you money brought back some fun memories. Have fun! I found something to love everywhere we went in the year we lived there.
Restaurant staff in Japan are not paid particularly well - typically it is a job for students & part-timers looking to earn some extra cash rather than a "living wage".
You would probably stand more chance taking money off a restaurant bill for poor service in Japan than getting them to accept more for what is considered normal.
If there is one, I think the point of pride here in Japan is that great customer service is standard etiquette, whether it be in a restaurant, hotel, hair salon or taxi, and they are (rightfully) proud of that.
from linkjapancareers - The reason why tipping can be seen as rude in Japan is because they value dignity and respect much more than tipping.
They believe you are already paying for a good service, so there is no need to pay extra by tipping.
one of the very few countries in the world that offers a truly spectacular service without any strings attached.
@@danzaokid Except someone working in service isn't going to make as much money without tips. They tried to do away with tips in France and it didn't work out so well for the servers.
If you want to tip, just spend a lot of money there legitimately.
You are getting paid for your work, so the store and the customer are equals.
Tipping money is like giving money to a homeless person, it is not equal and it can be misleading.
Employees in service industries aren't paid well. That's why everything in Japan is so cheep. Normally employees in service industries can't acept tips. Even if their salaries are low,they work hard. Japanese people should learn not being hard on themselves. I feel sorry sometises because they are too polite.
Love when Ben visits countries where he does not know the language. Nice to see him interact in ways the rest of us do!
Bald you made my day. You suddenly appeared with your wonderful humour and story telling and exploring like only you can. Don’t keep us waiting so long for the next one we have missed you
Ben’s ability to make the mundane fascinating is quite a gift.
Matsumoto castle is one of the few original castle keeps still standing, many are modern reconstructions. Adams arrived in 1600 AD at a fascinating time in Japan's history. One of the great unifiers Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the most powerful man in Japan who was Shogun in all but name due to his peasant origins died in 1598. During his time in power he disarmed the non samurai classes and created the ridged caste system that stopped the very social mobility that he himself used to get to the top. His 5 year old son was too young to rule so a council of 5 Lords was set up to rule in his place until he was old enough. One of those lords was Tokugawa Ieyasu who plotted to seize the title of Shogun from the Toyotomi. William Adams was very lucky to find himself under Ieyasu's custody because later that year (1600) Ieyasu and his supporters would be victorious in the Epic battle of Sekigahara which would later bring about the Tokugawa Shogunate that would rule for the next 250+ years. Adams become a valued advisor and was rewarded with land and a samurai title.
Chris Broad must have been fuming at how easily you managed to see such a clear view of Mt. Fuji
He was so lucky to have this clear view!
A Broad and a Bald in Japan.
Chris has been in Japan for years and never seen it on a clear day. I got a clear sky on my first time going past Mt Fuji on the Shikansen from Kyoto to Tokyo.
Seriously that man is cursed when it comes to that mountain
@@stuartclarke3171 it took some time but last year or so he finally saw it
Even the bathroom accommodation to not feel awkward while you're going is awesome 👏 Japan is definitely ahead of us
Japan is hyped for no reason, theres nothing to do there.
@@LucasAlves-yb5lr there hiking mountains hot springs ands the beautiful sites have you seen he shrines and shit
@@LucasAlves-yb5lr There's nothing to do at your mothers.
@@LucasAlves-yb5lrwhat does japan not have what your country has? exactly
@@lightup6751 a person taller than 5'9"? MD 20/20? Boiled peanuts?
He should go up to Nemuro or Wakkanai next and look at all the Russian signs there for all the Russian fishermen who visit those towns. For what it's worth, he might have an easier time reading the signs there lol
Good idea, Bokusan (:
Arigato gozhaimasht...or whatever the hell Ben kept saying XD
Hope he is still there and is able to read ur comment!
Any soviet frescoes, there?
@@The_Gallowglass he didn't get that arigato gozaimas and arigato gozaimashita are two different things
@@chegu613 and he kept saying kushai instead of gozai, pretty much almost saying 'thank sneeze' every time (kushami) lol
The gag that came out of me when he put the massager on his face. I'm sure stuff is cleaned but still. I could never.
Love this mans videos.
😭😭
This is why we love your videos because you don't just go to the usual tourist sites -- really gives a flavor of a country. Always love watching your adventures....
απο κυπρο?
Small towns whether in Japan or England or the U.S. are where it's at! Uncrowded,peaceful, friendly,perfect. I've been all over the world and the best times I've had are in places like this. Young ppl leave these places for excitement in big cities and its usually elusive to them.
I live 10 min drive outside of Los Angeles, maybe 20-60 min drive to Hollywood, and I agree! Can't wait to leave this state and go somewhere green!
@@michaelbread5906 the good thing about LA is you have the Mountains and so much else to escape to
@WanderingGeezaButterfly Slough, Burnley, Huddersfield 😉
Joking about not having content is good content when it's from Bald
Great video once again guys.
Your curiosity for anything "ordinary" is what makes this channel unique in the best of ways. More people should try travelling like this!
Sup.
IDK... Japan had a better army than Russia. If Russia were a threat to the world it would get nuked.
Bald has never made a bad video. Some scary ones, but never bad.
No way, you are here too??
It's the legend himself!
When you realize that an abandonded hospital in Japan still has some better furnishings and rooms than most hospitals in some countries is really astonishing.
I could easily watch 1 hour of Bald walking around his neighborhood, he would definitely make it interesting and entertaining. We love you, Bald, your videos are unique and it's extremely enjoyable watching you around places. As well, I love when you hang out with Simon and Harold, what a great team you guys make! Cheers!
For real though. Come to small town Iowa or Perth Australia or wherever. Just please keep making content.
When he began his story about that girl in 19:12, that really hit me for some reason. She simply had the misfortunate of walking and bothering absolutely no one but the North Koreans there simply kidnapped her and would never return her. Her life as she understood it would be forever altered and destroyed all because she walked along the beach.
It's an extremely sad story. So unfair that this was her fate. The North Koreans repatriated some of the Japanese they kidnapped, but made excuses and told half truths about what actually happened to Megumi.
North Korea is really a sick and suck country, I wish the woman doing good now
It's a very powerful story and has become emblematic of the cause in general. There are some good documentaries out there on Megumi's story that shed a lot of light on North Korea's abuses even as there are many details still yet unknown.
Ngl for a second i thought he made up the story but its true
It's the dumbest idea, kidnap the citizens of another country so we know how they behave. Whoever came with that idea in North korea must be crazy
I love that I can damn near escape life when I watch your videos. Random learning, random comedy, random places. its been a good few years subbed to you, so thank you.
13:38 signs are "private property don't enter" by the van, and the verticle sign is "crime prevention patrol". Sign on building is "Himekawa Hospital"
Love how he says Japanese words with a Russian or even Italian accent out of nowhere hahaha
"There goes a Japanese babushka" lol
Kakashka (meaning shit in russian)
It’s like that John le Carré character who’s polyglot but seems to have a different accent in every language he speaks. Sort of.
He’s so used to talking to the locals in Eastern Europe 😂😂
Yep he does miss 🇷🇺
Ben's face at 12:41 with the ice cream show had me laughing so hard I was crying!!!!
Feels refreshing to watch this as an international student in Japan who has been residing here for nearly 3 years now.
There so much about Japan (both good and bad) that isn't "much" disclosed to the world
Share some things you might refer to as no good pls
@@DanWill121 Bukkake isn't as common as we're lead to believe.
Did you move there without being able to speak Japanese? And if so what was that like
@@haywoodyoudome would you consider that a positive or negative?
Living in Japan for around 20 years, this is weird to watch. Itoigawa is just one of a quadrillion places.... welcome to an over-aged society where only the largest cities thrive -- the rest of the country is quite rapidly dying out, with all its consequences....dilapidating buildings, crumbling infrastructure, so called shutter roads where most shops are closed for good. I got used to it as I've travelled the country extensively, but it must look weird to someone from outside
How has your experience been as a German? Any different than Americans or English would be or do Japanese view them as the same?
@@MrFredstt Unfortunately I'm not really qualified to answer that as I've been living in Japan for too long... Besides, I grew up in East Germany which was abundant of dilapidated buildings, so maybe I'm not as shocked as some other people.
it is amazing how friendly everyone just is wow
Hey guys, just wanted to let you know...your driving on the wrong side for the road, yikes!!
I really miss the 7i & holding/711 pork fried rice and chuhi can.
because western media loves to show how "racist" everyone else is, but its not really true. Go to other countries and find out for yourself before letting liberal media tell you how to think
@@art-ux5ff Hi. I spent my 20’s traveling and have been everywhere except Antarctica. I saw a lot of racially and color motivated actions. Like in India, light skinned people get nice jobs and the dark ones shovel shit and take out the trash. Same in south eastern Asian countries where the people vary from light to dark. In Japan, it is no secret that society looks down upon halfbreed Japanese people, and I witnessed that for myself when a woman purposely hit my friend’s half white son with her bike. Instead of apologizing, she made a disparaging comment.
In Australia, the whites seem to share a disdain for the Aborigines. In some European countries, I had to leave places with my black friends because thing would get tense when we entered bars and restaurants. Filipinos are VERY preoccupied with skin color. So are black people.
We saw how Ukrainians treated black foreigners once Russia stuck their dick in. Yes, America is bad, but at least we dont have a cast system.
Good manners are awesome!
Get this: prices in Japanese 7-11's are NOT a rip-off. Strange, huh? People actually buy grocery items in Japanese 7-11's. In North America, 7-11 prices are much higher than at grocery supermarkets and people are paying extra for the convenience. But in Japan, people like to buy small quantities of food items and they have such a high population density that 'convenience' stores like 7-11, Lawson & others can sell at prices similar to grocery stores because they make up in volume when they lose in markup on each individual item.
Some of the soft drink vending machines are a single price and you can pick any size 500ml 1L 2L they are all the same price the idea is you only take the size you need
Cool story
100 yen for my George's coffee
Yeah 7-11s in Japan are pretty cheap. In some of the big cities, its hard to find a big supermarket, everyone shops as the Japanese 7-11s.
Only some items are similar in price, about 80% of fares have >50% markups.
I've traveled to Japan many times and while most people don't speak english, communicating with them really isn't that difficult. Most signage is in both Japanese and English so getting around is fairly easy. I find the culture to the most accommodating. It's by far my favorite country in the world to visit.
Yeah, until you hit up a rural town.
@@deletedwaffles nah Japan’s sweet, fat better than here in Australia
@@deletedwaffles i travel thru the Japanese countryside on many motorcycle trips. People everywhere exceptionally polite and friendly. Maybe its just you?
@@missplainjane3905 all thru Shikoku., around Kyushu seeking out the winding mountain pass roads (toge). Stopped in many mountain and country villages and also up the west coast to Tsuruga.
My first trip was in 1980 and I hitchhiked from Toyama to Fukushima and back to Tokyo.
@@nelsonsailor7524 I think he means the language barier
Only one video from Japan? Come on B & B. I lived there for 8 years with my Japanese wife and two kids. Japan offers so much more than a rain-drenched ghost town on the Sea of Japan coast. Now I'm back in the UK for good, I really loved this (one and only) video you made. And yes, public toilets are absolutely spotless. Loved the video as always. Without doubt, you are the best UA-cam travelogue maker out there. Harold's a close 2nd, though.
Did you bring your family with you?
Great to see him leaving Tokyo to travel deep into the prefectures, where the best adventures are to be had!
Absolute culture shock when I visited in 2018. After two weeks couldn't decide if my vacation was wasted time or expanding my horizons... now I sometimes think of coming back. Fascinating and bewildering. Thanks for posting!
I had the same in China. Went for a tour for two and a half weeks in 2013. Got massive culture shock and anxiety, but at the same time mesmerized by everything around me. Was definitely not a relaxing vacation, but after nearly 10 years I know for sure it has broadened my horizons and I would definitely like to go again sometime.
You and Sabattical are both putting out Japan travel videos at the same time. So much good Japan content!
Sabbatical is legit
The Ghost
Better call him Sacuckical. Can't stand the man. Is he even one?
japan is a youtuber magnet right now, everyone is going because it just opened up recently.
Japan has 8 million abandoned residential homes and more abandoned hotels, restaurants, etc.
The reason they've been abandoned is because the rapid urbanization of the major areas kept drawing all young people leaving towns that died slowly becuase the elderly people would either leave or pass away.
Demolishing the buildings is also expensive so lots of people tend to just leave them be. Unattended.
Ben, many people like to say "sayonara" when talking to a Japanese when they say goodbye. Some people find it funny and fun. In fact, people often do not fully understand the meaning of this word.
The Japanese themselves never use the word "sayonara" in a serious conversation. The fact is that it does not just mean "goodbye" or "bye", but goodbye forever. The implication is that you will never see the person to whom you said "sayonara" again.
For the Japanese, respect in communication is very important, so they try not to use words with such a categorical meaning.
"Farewell" might be a good translation. It can be for a long goodbye, too. But I found that pretty amusing, too. Seemed so serious whenever he said it.
Make sure to use "abayo" when for saying "goodbye"
A lady in the store laughed at the fact he said that, was quite enjoyable seeing him get by with bare bones japanese haha.
In formal conversations "sayonara" just means "goodbye" and is used by everybody. It's just something you wouldn't say to friends or in informal conversations.
Interesting and amusing comment. This is what the internet is for - learning. 👍
I live in Japan. Almost the whole country outside of big cities is like this. Itagawa is below average but not even close to the worst I have seen and I have only traveled through part of the country. There are towns where almost everything other than the 7-11 and post office are closed!
The hospital footage was amazing though.
It's a global phenomenon sadly. Small towns are being slowly abandoned and people move to the larger cities.
Matsumoto castle (raven Castel) is one of the only castles that is almost to 100% in his original state, except for things that rod away. Matsumoto castle is almost unknown to foreign people, so kudos to you for visiting.
6:21 Matsumoto Castle is in the City of Nagano, about 80 km south from the coastal town of Itoigawa. Matsumoto City is about 80 km southwest of Nagano.
And isn't it build without a single nail or screw.
Im still fascinated by the spiral staircaise on the back side of that abandoned hospital!🤩
Can we meet? Im from Serbia
I moved to the countryside of Japan about 9 months ago. Tokyo is almost a different world to us in the countryside. Much like how Wales is different to London or The Midwest US is to New York. What surprised me the most was all the abandoned and rundown buildings. Thankfully it is still safe, if I lived in a town that looked like this in the US I would have been scared about crime.
That Mount Fuji shot at the start is INSANE! Literally looks like it's in the heavens...
I see that most days in the winter. I was wondering when The Bald man would make it here.
If you ever plan on seeing it yourself be careful of the weather. It's impossible to see due to fog or other weather phenomena most days.
Beutifull eh?
It's weird seeing one big mountain with no others around it but that was a nice shot.
According to Wikipedia, on March 25, 2007, the Ishikawa Prefecture was hit by a magnitude of 6.9 earthquake. The shaking was called the "killer pulse" waves with a frequency of 1-2 seconds. This kind of shaking heavily damages buildings with around 2 floors. The shaking then got larger as it reached softer ground like alluvial plains, causing major damage. About 2,300 buildings collapsed, and 25,000 damaged, about 350 injured but only 1 death.
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Damn this is insane
Thanks for the update. I was really wondering why everything, including personal documents were abandoned. I wonder why they never returned/sent someone in to clear all that stuff out after the structure was deemed safe/structurally sound. I guess maybe it was never deemed safe / checked.
Love how you insert "babushka" and "kakashaka" even in Japan. Thank you for your videos from Astana!
Japan is such a fascinating country, I hope there's more content to come..
You could say it's sugoi.
Ben's face when bald started "eating" his ice cream😂😂
If anyone saw that big bald guy on the passenger seat of a pink car sucking on his icecream cone... there is no telling what they might have thought.
He was not eating.... 😂😂😂
@@travellerstoryteller he was sucking every bit of it
😂🤣🤣🤣
Reminds me of my boyfriend!
Dear Ben- google translate photo is the BEST thing I ever discovered when in Japan and Korea!! ( yes I am late to the party! ) but you take a photo of signs or info boards or packaging in supermarkets and it translates it instantly!!! 😃😃😃
I said that like 5 times in the first few mins. iphone does it right in the camera app itself. Thanks
You don't even need to take a photo anymore It just translates live as you hold your camera up and point at things It's quite amazing
@@anonony9081Fr I was wondering why he wasn’t doing that. Totally would love to learn Japanese words but IDK if I could ever get to learning how to understand and write most asain PLUS Arab languages. Spanish and French might be easiest to read once you learn the language. Russians tough to but not as hard
I speak both Russian and around jlpt 2 of japanese its not a hard language
💁🏼 its called google lens
Grass cutting robot, fax machines instead of email... Japan's a weird place.
Everything's closed because it's the middle of the day. A bunch are probably bars, part time businesses, and people's garages. There are surely some closed businesses, but a lot seem like they are just closed at the moment. This actually looks like quite the place. Having lived in rural Japan and been to dead towns, this place is huge and lively.
It’s a rough looking town, but the people are so friendly and honest.
MANY Japanese people know a decent amount of English. There are examples in this video itself, from when Bald calls those people filming at the castle "the most famous people in Japan" and they all laugh because they understood him, to the various people he asked for an umbrella and for directions. English is ingrained in both their media and bigger cities, plus they're always willing to help out and try to understand. You'll notice a few times the people he's speaking to laugh when he says "Sayonara", this is because it's a very formal way of saying goodbye and it's usually used to mean "goodbye for a long time / forever". Amazing country, and this kind of stuff isn't even the tip of the iceberg. Plenty of abandoned picturesque locations, and plenty of wildly different cities and landscapes. I hope he covers more here! On a side note, because the Japanese are often too polite to correct anyone, thank you is "Arigato Gozaimasu", not Koshaimasu.
@@robertjenkins6132 You are correct. Japanese worry what others think when they speak English. The colloquial expression of Sayonara are’じゃまた ' またね’ and バイバイ. many
i came to the coments to understand why everyone was laughing at sayonnara! Thank you
@@robertjenkins6132 I can understand spoken Japanese probably as good as a 3yo (lol) but was extremely nervous about speaking it in Japan due to my unpracticed pronunciation. I think a lot of Japanese are in the same position, understanding a fair amount of spoken and written English, whether through schooling or cultural exposure, but they rarely actually speak it.
I wouldn't correct him either, every time Bald says "Arigatou Koshaimasu" an angel gets their wings.
@@barca1397 You probably wouldn't really say any of those things to the random 711 clerk you're only going to meet once though unless maybe you were a regular at that 711 and knew the clerk. Just say "arigatou gozaimasu" and never see each other again.
this is the only travel UA-cam channel I just get addicted to the humor is funny and all the little history lessons he tells in the area he visits just leave me wanting to hear more
same here:)
You should really learn about who this man really is....
@@MNGinger496 yeah found out To Day unbeliveble 😂😂
@@MNGinger496 idc I enjoy the places he visits and the shit he tells about it
He is awesome….i do not know how the travel channel hasnt reached out to him and given him a show……he really is great at his craft and know how to keep us all tuned in
The abandoned hospital.. Is still full of supplies..computers.. Sofas and what not. People didn't scavenge the place. Here in Canada it would have become an empty drug house before even being abandoned.
Will you ever make up with roman?
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Damn man. I made it 17 seconds into this and subbed. The way this starts already tells me I'm gonna love this channel.
The binge begins
If you've never seen Ben's videos before, you're in for a treat!!
When my brother showed me this channel I loved it immediately as well!! So I even went back and started with all of his first videos and his journey !! Magnificent content. I still need to catch up on some of the videos between this one and his COVID train i think 🤔 but all is well and his content is great!!
Soviet sink! ..... you'll see 😀
you should watch all of this former videos. this is no joke. there were so many gems and insiders made before like sovjet sinks and bus stopps. i wish you lots of fun, because everyone can see them just once first time.
Ur in for a treat. May I suggests watching his India videos, his Mexico videos and his Moldovan vids. But basically all his vids are good. Excited for more Japan vids.
I have lived in Japan for 20 years+ and this video was refreshing, entertaining and educational.
When I think of Japan, I think of sushi and how pretty, peaceful and safe a country can be when it embraces homogeny and rejects diversity.
The perception of Japan is that it's so crowded, I was surprised that there would be any abandoned buildings not to mention practically an entire town.
Well obviously it is in the city centers, that's basically the story of every bit city in all of Asia
only Tokyo
The country is almost entirely empty. Huge swaths of open land that can't be farmed or built on. The mudslides are constant, as monsoons are common and the soil is geologically fresh, meaning you reach hard volcanic rock after just a short way down in most places other than near the rivers.
I work in Tokyo 5 days a week. In 5 locations. Eastern Tokyo is ( for me ) horrendously crowded, but the far west of it is lovely.
Japanese people are dying off. Negative population . More people are dying than being born. The dying towns shows this.
Please do more exploring Japan videos!! I love learning about the culture and seeing the buildings, streets and homes. Hire an interpreter and talk to people, find out about their everyday lives and what they think of the area in which they live. ❤
A huge amount of buildings in Japan got abandoned when major economic bubbles burst, I remember watching a video about it a while ago.
2008 was a terrible year for japan. Thats the reason why calendars there last changed on 2007
Same thing happened in China. Massive apartment buildings, hotels, soke skyscrapers even just stand lifeless. It's kind of interesting actually.
Not true at all; it is the population shrinking in those areas
I used to live in Tokyo. A friend and I took a 200 km walk across country. We ran into many little towns which were on the verge of being ghost towns, abandoned shopping malls, hotels and bowling alleys.
@@allentoyokawa9068 that's what happens when economies collapse
I would argue that, apart from the shorter height, that tops Himeji castle! What good views you have from the ramparts of the windows themselves! Feels like you can breathe in there without all the tourists!
i love how even the most abandoned backwater places of japan are still pretty well developed and livable places by international standards.
Indeed. Take away the shitty weather and they'd look nice.
It was the Japanese version of Northern England with less 'diversity' and societal breakdown
Thinks being abandoned japan looks better than half europe.whete people actually live in. 🤣
I've travelled to Japan to 4 times between 2013 - 2016 and I'm going again next year. Once you're outside of the major cities English becomes less common. I love Japan, its culture and its people.
So great to see you in Japan! I'm excited to see what kinds of shenanigans you're going to get up to! 😁
Unexpected to see you on Bald's channel. Loved your videos from Georgia. I hope you enjoyed your time here 😁
@@arch5701 Oh wow! I don't think I've ever been recognized on another channel before. I enjoyed my time there very much. I didn't want to leave and I'm trying to get back as soon as I can. ☺️❤️
@@Ellary_Rosewood you produces beautiful art 🧡
@@sakuraa2008 Thank you so much! ☺️
Japan is the last place to have any shenanigans. It just looks like such a perfect AI generated country. Maybe in the remote provinces something wicked happens.
Hey, what happened between you and Roman/NFKRZ??
What happened?
Russian nicker
@@superiorsmoker no idea. I'm curious now myself
What a huge number of vending machines in Japan…I have never seen so many vending machines. And the people are so lovely, shy, quiet, and very helpful for tourists! What an amazingly clean country too.
The most satisfying, best tasting Coca-Cola I ever drink in my life was on a really hot summer day from a Japanese vending machine. It dropped a cup down poured ice into it and then poured me the coke and it was amazing
The vending machines are beyond elaborate and everywhere. There are a few UA-cam channels dedicated to the subject.
you can buy almost anything from just vending machines in Japan from what I've heard
There are vending machines on Mt. Fuji.
@@skyclarking-123 Very expensive, though. The best part of the Fuji climb are all of the little bare-bones restaurants. Huge amounts of people come through so it's worth it to them to stock up.
Would not recommend that climb despite the good memories. It's a slog. Fresh volcanic rock means you're basically walking on ping pong balls for hours. Hell on the legs.
26:02 Google translate: "if you had some fking hair, you wouldn't need to buy this stupid hat from me"
I love all your videos and I would like to see you go back to japan at some point! Comparing to the other places you have been in, It's interesting to see such a clean country. The contrast is massive.
And so a new chapter begins...I'm so glad you're still making content.
Bald is obviously a vlogger but also fortunate to be historian. Salute!
I’ve travelled many countries and Japan is the only country that I didn’t want to leave! Not once did I ever feel threatened or scared. The people were exceptionally kind and the places we visited were pristine! I can’t wait to revisit this wonderful country!
I felt the same in Taiwan 2 weeks ago. Freaking underrated gem.
@@ivy_47 I hear that a lot - definitely on my bucket list!
@@desdicadoric that's changing rapidly
@@desdicadoric
The problem with that theory is, many countries around the world don't have multiculturalism, Muslims, or Jews, but hardly any is on the same level with Japan. Meanwhile, Singapore as one of the richest nations in the world, has both multiculturalism and Muslims.
@UCbz68UlpkIUrImOR1GUI-MA Actually, there were Blacks in Japan before they were enslaved and brought to my country (USA).
beginning of a new journey, we are together thanks for the videos
you are clearly not together
I laughed so much at this one. The ladies you met laughed, too - "sayonara" is a very serious word and it means "goodbye" but like "goodbye forever".
well it much depends on the situation but usually sayonara doesn’t have that kind of seriousness so its pretty commonly used
Better than "see you in hell" I guess!
"Tactical Air Command" 🤣🤣🤣 Now I want that cap
@@shigi_nagisa "Farewell" is probably a better translation. It definitely didn't fit with what he was trying to say, though. You don't say it to strangers!
@@dogchaser520 yeah, definitely has some meaning similar to farewell. I tend to use it attached with something else like “matakondo” so that it would reduce that meaning
I find it bizarre that the hospital isn't absolutely ransacked and destroyed. Would take about a week in the UK tbf maybe one night lol
Definitely one night to strip it bare and another to fill it with junkies and their gear
But 15 years and no dust ? It's no way it was 15 years.
@@filipstruhar it rains a lot, and there is dust, you cant see it in the camera
Those white coats were not dusty, after all those years!
In the US , a few days..😂